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On Friday, July 7th at 12:29 p.m. PT (19:29 UTC), SpaceX is scheduled to launch 48 version 1.5 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
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The 48 satellites belong to Group 5-13 and will be launched on a 43-degree orbital inclination.
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This launch will mark the 43rd Falcon 9 launch of the year and the 45th mission of 2023.
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SpaceX's total number of Starlink satellites launched will reach 4,746 with this mission, including 177 launched in the previous month.
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SpaceX's launch pace has made them the world leader in mass to orbit, demonstrating the advantages of reusability.
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This launch contributes to the 99th orbital launch worldwide, with SpaceX accounting for nearly half of the total launches at 45.
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The Falcon 9 booster for this mission, Booster 1063, will be making its 12th flight, seven of which were dedicated to Starlink missions.
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The trajectory for this launch will be towards the South, paralleling the coast of California, with the first and second stages separating approximately two and a half minutes into the flight.
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The second stage will perform a dog-leg maneuver to reach a 43-degree orbital inclination, passing over the Baja Peninsula of Mexico.
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The first stage will attempt to land on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean, while the second stage continues its journey to low Earth orbit. After a coast phase, the 48 satellites will separate from the second stage and proceed to their operational orbit.